Emotions? What do emotions have to do with anything? Can't one just go through the motions each day until the end? A kind face and small smile can differ many questions. A simple "I'm fine." can confuse those closest to you into believing that you are, in fact, fine. A fake mask can get you through life with minimal issues. After someone destroys you mentally and emotionally. It can be difficult to regain you. Regain the feelings you had before. Watch as her mask fades away and the spark returns. The passion comes to light.
And I hope you enjoy!
Pain. So much pain. Each nerve was on fire. Each bone felt like it was broken. And it probably wasn't far from the truth. It hit at such a high rate of speed that the body was flung into the wide intersection and rolled before coming to a stop at the start of the next road.
The bus came to a screeching halt. Blocking the rest of the traffic. A hush fell over the crowded metropolis before it burst back into the normal dull buzz. A distant siren could be heard in the distance.
Lights flashed as the ambulance came closer. Its wailing, keening pitch slowed to a warble as it entered the intersection. The hulking metal box came to a stop only feet away from the unmoving body. Although it could barely be considered a body at this point.
Even still, the paramedics jumped out, bags in hand. They ran towards the bloody mess. Kneeling down on either side. They chatted to themselves, coming to a quick conclusion. One of them jogged back to the rig, jumping into the back.
He came back to the body just as cop cars pulled around to block off the lanes. Barricades were erected in seconds while officers started to direct the cars and people around the accident. They started pulling people, interviewing them. Trying to piece things together.
The EMTs finished transferring the bag into the back of the truck. They were slow to get back into their seats. They looked at each other before turning off their lights and sirens. There was no reason to rush to the hospital now. Thankfully everything was still attached. Barely. The police were still working on gathering the personal effects.
The older, more seasoned paramedic could only sit behind the wheel. Head in hands. If it weren't for the bright yellow dress they would have to wait to determine if it was male or female. They would have to wait until the police station did an investigation and confirmed exactly who this was in the back. Comfortably zipped up in the black plastic bag. Tied down onto the gurney so they didn't slide around while they drove through the city to get to the hospital.
The younger one carefully placed a hand on his partner's shoulder. Jolting him back to where they were. They had worked together long enough to know that he was probably thinking about his daughter. The driver nodded, giving his thanks before he turned on the ambulance and shifting it in gear.
They drove off. Carefully making their way through the crowd that had formed while they were doing their job. The officers parted the way for them in order to get out. They themselves would be staying behind for a little longer. It was a silent ride out of the area and towards the hospital where they would have to drop off the body that was barely a body.
One of the top brass had stopped by. Nervously pacing around the crime scene. They hoped to solve this quickly. They absolutely did not need this right now. It could lead to a turbulent relationship with one of the stronger world powers if something even remotely hinted at being fishy.
"Hey!" A small voice called out. "Why did they take away my body?"
She stepped close to the official looking man, hoping for an answer. She was right in front of him, but he stepped right through her. The girl turned; mouth wide open.
"Sir, no one saw who pushed the girl."
"What about the cameras? Did they pick anything up?"
The green police officer shook his head. The chef rubbed his forehead and then crossed his arms.
"I will check in with the computer team in a few minutes to see if they were able to decipher anything."
The older man nodded.
"Let me know as soon as they find anything out."
The girl tried again to grab the attention of someone. Anyone.
"Excuse me… sir? Can you please help me?"
When she moved a soft jingling followed her. She froze in her tracks, looking down at her chest. A hand, her own hand, slowly reached up to touch the chain. It was cold. Heavy.
"What the hell?"
The girl in the yellow dress stood dumbfounded in the middle of the street. By the time she realized where she was, things had started to pick up. Cars moved past her in a wet, sleek daze. A soft sprinkle forced the officers to finish their work quickly. Wanting to get out of the cold.
Cars and people fazed right through her. Not even stopping if she looked right in their face. Its not like they could see her. She held her hands up to the shining lights. They were solid. Like she was still alive. But the clicking of metal against each other seemed to say otherwise.
Suddenly a chill went down her spine. She grabbed her forearms, trying to fight off the cold that settled into her bones. Or whatever she had right now. Goosebumps trailed up her arms. Hairs stood up on the back of her neck.
She looked around, squinting against the downpour. The rain had picked up speed while she was trying to take stock of what happened. It was passing right through her. Normally she would love the feeling of each rain drop on her skin. Pelting her with its cold kisses, weighing down her hair and clothes. But now. She felt nothing.
Her own tears joined the water on the ground. A particularly long tractor trailer went through her soul body. Reminding the girl where she stood. She raised a hand to her eyes, wiping away the tears.
"Right." She took a deep breath and rolled back her shoulders. "Guess I should get out of the road."
Her mumbled words were lost. The sounds of the city drowned her voice out. The incessant chattering and honking of horns was enough to drive her crazy. It didn't seem so loud before, but now it was pounding against her ears.
People called out their wares, trying to lure those into shops or restaurants. Nearly bribing them with coupons for a percent off or free item. Street vendors battled with the brick and mortars. Showing off how easy it was to eat their meals on the go. Which certainly was usually appreciated. But now, people wanted to be out of the rain. Safe inside and sitting down. Warm drinks in their hands.
As the girl continued down the street, people started to disappear one by one. The waves of rain deterring most from taking a leisurely stroll at night. But if you couldn't feel the piercing cold from the rain, it wasn't too bad. The rain accentuated those dark blacks. The bright neons popping against them. The signs lighting her path.
In such a daze the girl failed to realize that someone was following her. The shadow stepped sure, not breaking stride. They kept to the darkness, using it for cover. Every few steps the signs would cast a warm glow on their face. It was wiped clean. No emotions. Their robes fluttered behind them.
The girl's silent stalker kept a distance between them. But never letting her out of their sight. She took them to a park. On a normal day it would be packed with children of all ages yelling and screaming in delight. But now it was devoid of those happy calls. The dark clouds overhead painted it in such a bleak setting that it was almost scary to be there.
She sat down on a wooden bench. Hands folding together into her lap. Ankles crossing in a slow movement. She took a deep breath, turning her head up to the sky.
Her shadow calmly strolled forward from under the tree. They came to a stop right behind her, watching. Their head tilted to the side, hand coming to rest on the hilt of their sword.
"Konbanwa!"
The girl gasped and jumped up, hands coming to rest over her heart.
"Oh!" She took a few steps back, biting her bottom lip. "Um… can I help you?"
Just who the hell was this person? And why did they dress so weird?
The person across from the girl moved their head to the other side. Eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Their eyes glanced down to her chest, causing her to cross her arms in front of her. Trying to cover the chain and chest at the same time. She wasn't really sure which one was more important at the moment.
"Anata wa shinda."
The girl could only curse herself. She should have learned a few more phrases and words before coming here. Well… granted she didn't think she would need more than "Where is the bathroom?" or "Where is…?". Her mistake.
The strange man took another step forward. Hand drawing his sword.
"Oh fuck…" She made to turn around, ready to run. "What the hell did I do?"
As she took the first step, her foot caught on something. She tumbled down, landing harshly on her hands and knees. She cried out in pain as a reflex. Nothing hurt. Physically at least.
The man in the black robe sighed, short sword hanging at his side. He rubbed the back of his head and took a few more steps forward until he was near the girl. She was frozen to the spot on the ground, unable to move. He crouched down, looking her in the eyes. She gasped. They were an amazing blue, bright against the darkness around him. His light, silver she noted, hair contrasted against his black robes. It fell into his eyes that were now closed again. Covering up his emotions.
"Konso."
"What?"
He brought the butt of his sword up, stamping her on the forehead. Now there was pain. Immense pain. Almost as much as when that fucking bus hit her. She immediately curled onto her side, both hands holding onto her forehead. Her eyes screwed shut, against the bright light that was surrounding her.
"See ya later, girlie!"
She couldn't hear the man's now very clear voice over her screams of agony. The pain was almost too much to bear. She could feel each and every one of her nerves screaming at her for it to stop. She tried to fight the feeling, but it was too much. Too much.
She didn't realize as her body, spirit, soared through the dark space. She didn't see the small pinpoint of light open up to something bigger. She definitely did not see the ground coming towards her at a particularly frightening rate. And. Of course. She had no idea of the monster she was about to fly into.
There was a screech as the black behemoth was knocked down. Unearthly. Demonic. Those around it slowly turned to look at their fallen brethren. Attracted to the sudden surge of energy. They moved in, closing ranks.
The broken monster made to get up but was unable to. It laid there unmoving, staring up into the sky. Its limbs were first to vaporize before the head and torso vanished.
The girl groaned, rolling off whatever hard thing she landed on. She sat on her ass; knees drawn up partially so that she could rest her elbows on her legs while clutching her head.
"What the fuck." The words sounded strange to her ears, but she couldn't dwell on it for long as something screeched nearby. "What the fuck!?"
One of the beasts bent down, large paw coming to swipe at her. She tried to get up and run away only to manage landing on her hands and feet to awkwardly shuffle out of the path of the hand. She came to a rest on her knees, looking around at the group surrounding her.
"Oh… this is not good." Her hands hung down, brushing against her bare knees. She glanced at her outfit. Sure, the dress she was wearing wasn't floor length, but it at least went to past her knees.
A plain dusty lavender kimono replaced the sunshine yellow dress she had picked out to wear for the day. And apparently died in.
Another monster cut her train of thought short as it reached for her. Its long claws barely touching her neck before she jumped up and ran forward. There was just a small gap, but it would be enough to slip through she thought.
Her skin just barely brushed them as she got through. But even still. It was enough to be able to feel them. That darkness that was so thinly kept together. The screams of agony that seemed to come deep within them.
It wasn't just one voice, she thought, still racing away from the group. There were so, so many trapped in there.
Breaths came short as she kept running away. She was never really good at running. But the sounds of those monsters coming after her was enough to face forward and get the fuck away from them. Lungs be damned. She was not going to be added to whatever sick, demented form they were taking.
She blinked, rubbing sweat away from her forehead as she did so. When she opened her eyes and looked back, she could see them start to pick up speed.
"Fuck my life."
And with a twisted thought, she realized that she already lived her life. Her human life. The one life she thought she would get. Because who really thought that there was a place like this, where people would go to after dying. She would have cursed some more but her airways were not allowing her to do so at the moment. So she settled for a constant stream of curse words in her mind.
'Great. So, whatever this is, fuck this.' The girl managed to string together a coherent thought. She planned to stay alive and do what she wanted with this second chance. If that's what it was.
She blinked again, feeling her feet lift off the ground. Barely touching the packed sand.
"Wha?"
She could see things start to meld together. The trees that seemed so far away at first, were coming closer and closer with each step. The earth beneath her was gradually becoming a rich browns and , obviously, she knew that's how running worked. But she could never run this fast. Nor dream of going at this speed. She turned her head, seeing now that whatever was chasing her was long behind her.
She had left them in the dust!
Her legs slowed down and the scenery around her seemed to go back to normal as well. She was just a few feet from the forest, and she thought she could make it. If she just took a few more…
Her body dropped to the ground, face first. She had exhausted herself to the point being knocked out cold. Her chest rose and fell with each slow, drawn out breath. Stirring up dust. At least she landed with her face turned to the side.
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